CESs are used to expand and differentiate cells. Cell expansion systems are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,162,225 and 6,001,585 generally describe cell expansion systems designed for cell expansion.
The potential use of stem cells in a variety of treatments and therapies has achieved particular attention. Cell expansion systems can be used to grow stem cells, as well as other types of cells, such as bone marrow cells. Stem cells which are expanded from donor cells can be used to repair or replace damaged or defective tissues and have broad clinical applications for a wide range of diseases. Recent advances in the regenerative medicine field demonstrate that stem cells have properties such as proliferation and self-renewal capacity, maintenance of the unspecialized state, and the ability to differentiate into specialized cells under particular conditions.
Limiting factors associated with performing cell expansion include the sterility of elements associated with the cell expansion system and the ability of lab technicians to timely disassemble equipment associated with performing a first cell expansion followed by subsequently setting up equipment associated with performing a subsequent cell expansion. Accordingly, there is a need for an assembly and methods associated with the assembly that enable a lab technician to prepare, with relatively limited downtime, equipment necessary to conduct a second cell expansion after a first cell expansion. The present disclosure addresses these and other needs.